Wire-drawing machine



Nov.l8, 1941. w. MORGAN 2,263,245

I WIRE-DRAWING MACHINE I Filed Nov. 6, 1939 Rifi N as 33H 60 q o N N 0 i? a 1,; .M' +1 INVENTOR WELD MORGAN Patented Nov. 18, 19 41 WIRE-DRAWING MACHINE Weld Morgan, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Morgan Construction Company,

Worcester,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 6, 1939, Serial No. 303,066

6 Claims.

This invention relates to wire-drawing machines, and more particularly to machines of the type having a series of dies through which the wire is drawn by means of rotating drums or blocks to effect successive reductions of the wire. It has been recognized heretofore that certain advantages arise from the maintenance of an appreciable tension in the wire between each drum and the succeeding die. This so-called "back tension not only decreases the power required, to drive the machine, but it also prolongs the life of the dies by reducing the die friction and the resultant heat, and makes it possible to draw wire at higher speeds. While attempts have been made to construct machines which would operate in this manner, the prior machines have in general been complicated, expensive, unreliable, and difiicult to maintain in proper adjustment.

It is accordingly one object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive and reliable Wire-drawing machine of the 'type having rotatable drums to draw wire'through a series of dies successively, the various parts being so constructed and arranged as to permit an accurate controlof the back tension in the wire.

It is a further object of the invention to pro-- vide a wire-drawing machine having a plurality of rotatable drums, together with a simple and reliable mechanism for rotating the drums and applying a predetermined and readily adjustable torque toeach of the drums.

It a further object of the invention to provide a novel construction for a multiple wiredrawing machine which is so arranged that the wire willneither slip on the drums nor continuously-accumulate thereon during the operation of the machine.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims'appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing illustrating one embodiment ofthe invention and in which like-reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic View of a wire-drawing machine;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of a modification; and

fication.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view" of a further modi The embodiment illustrated comprises a series of rotatable wire-drawing drums or blocks III, II

ciated a series of dies l4, l5 and IS. The drum l0 draws the wire through the first die It, the wire then passing through the die IE to the drum II and thence through the die l6 to the drum l2, which serves as a finishing drum. The drum in is driven by a motor 18 which is connected to the drum by means of suitable gearing l9. Sim ilarly, the drum II is driven by a motor 20 through the medium of gearing 2|. The finishing drum I2 is driven by a motor 23 which is connected to the drum by means of gearing 24. The rate at which the wire passes through the machine is determined by the speed of the finishing drum I2, which in turn is determined by the speed of the motor 23. This motor may be an electric motor, and it is preferably of the adjustable speed type so'that the rate of wire drawing may be controlled.

The motors I8 and 20 are hydraulic motors of the adjustable displacement type, one suitable construction being disclosed in the patent to Ferris No. 1,998,984. Each of these motors is provided with a handwheel 26 whereby its displacement may be manually controlled. A suitable pressure fluid, such as oil, is supplied for the operation of the motors l8 and 20 through pipes 21 and 28 respectively from a suitable source, such as a pump ,30 driven by an electric motor 3|. This pump may be of thevariable displacement type, similar to the motors, and its displacement may be automatically controlled to ensure delivery of fluid at a substantially con-i stant predetermined pressure, as disclosed for example in the patent to Douglas No. 2,080,810.

may be controlled in adesired manner, and by proper selection .of the applied torque it is possible to maintain a predetermined back tension in the wire inmiediately anterior to the dies l5 and IS. The speeds of the drums l0 and II will be determined by the speed of the finishing drum l2 and by the amount of reduction effected by the dies, so long as the wire extends throughout the entire machine. upof the machine, or during the run out of the tail end of the wire, or in case the wire breaks. the situation will be different. Under such circumstances there will be one of the hydraulically driven blocks which is'not pulling wire During the threading her.

through a die, and as a result the corresponding hydraulic motor will take all the pressure fluid delivered by the pump 30, which will operate at full displacement in an attempt to maintain full discharge pressure. Consequently the unloaded drum will operate at a very high speed, and the remaining hydraulically driven block or blocks will not operate at all.

In order to overcome this difliculty I provide means whereby the flow of pressure fluid through each hydraulic 'motor is prevented unless the corresponding block is maintaining a tension in the wire anterior thereto. For this purpose, as shown in Fig. 1, a valve 35 is provided in'the pipe 21, this valve being operated by a solenoid 38, the construction being such that the valve will open when the solenoid is energized and close when the solenoid is de-energized. The solenoid is connected to a suitable electrical source 31 through a switch 39 which is biased toward open position by a spring 40. This switch is shunted by a normally-open push button 4|. Means is provided to close the switch 39 when the drum II] is drawing wire through the die I l, and for this purpose the die is slidably mounted on a support 43 and connected to the switch by means of a lever 44 fulcrummed on a pin 45. A similar construction is provided in connection with the second die I5 and the second block II, the pipe 28 'having a valve 41 therein which is operated by a solenoid 48 so arranged that the valve will open when the solenoid is energized and close when the solenoid is de-energized. The solenoid 48 is-connected to a source 49 of electricity through a switch 5| which is biased vention will now be apparent from the above disclosure. With the motor 3| running and no wire 'passing through the machine, the switches 39 and 5| will be held open by their respective springs 40 and 52, the solenoids 36 and 48 will be deenergized, and the valves 35 and 41' will be closed. Hence no fluid will flow through the motors I8 and 20, and the blocks I0 and II will be stationary. To thread. the machine, the oper-. ator will point the end of the wire, pass it through the first die I4 and attach it by a suitable grip to the drum III in a well-known man- He will then close the push button 4|, which will energize the solenoid and open the valve35, admitting fluid to the motor I8. This will rotate the drum I0, and draw the wire through the die I4, which will slide along its support 43 until the switch 39 is closed, so that the operator may release the push button without de-energizing the solenoid. When a sufficient number of wraps of wire have been formed about the drum II), the operator will stop the machine by stopping the electric motor 3|. He will then re-point the wire, pass it through the second die I5, and attach it by a suitable grip to the second drum II. Then by starting the motor 3| and closing the push button 53momentarily, he can draw the-wire through the die I5. In case the wire slack-ms sufficiently to allow rearward movement of the first die I4, it

- may be necessary to close the push button 4| also": .When the desired number of wraps have been formed about the drum II, the motor 3| will be stopped, and the wire will be re-pointed.

passed through the die I6, and attached by a grip to the finishing drum I2. By starting both the motors 3| and 23, and if necessary closing the push button 53 momentarily, several turns of wire may be formed about the drum I2. The

machine will then be stopped and the grip removed. This completes the threading of the machine. The operator will now decrease the displacement of the hydraulic motors I8 and 20 to predetermined values by turning their respective handwheels 26, whereupon he will start the electric motors 3| and 23. The machine will proceed to draw wire through the several dies, with a predetermined back-tension in the wire anterior to each of the dies I5 and I6, the speed of the wire being controlled by the speed of the motor 23. There will be no accumulation of wire except on the finishing drum, and no slipping between the wire and the drums. The pump 30 will supply fluid at a predetermined pressure and only in such quantities are are required by the motors I8 and 20. These hydraulic motors operate with predetermined displacements and a constant fluid pressure, and hence will transmit predetermined torques to their respective drums. As the tail end of the wire passes through the first die I4, all load will be removed from the first drum III and its driving moto'r I8. The spring will immediately open the switch 39, de-energizing the solenoid 36 and closing the valve 35. This will prevent fluid from entering the motor I8, so that this motor will stop, instead of accelerating to a high speed (as would otherwise occur), and full fluid pressure will be maintained for operation of the motor 20. The wire will loosen about the drum Ill and will be withdrawn therefrom by the continued rotation of the drum II. As the tail end of the wire passes the die I5, the spring 52 will open the switch 5I', de-energizing the solenoid 48 and closing the valve 41. This will stop the drum II, and the wire will be withdrawn therefrom by the continued rotation of the finishing drum I2. The motor 23 will then be stopped, the finished wire will be removed from the drum I2,

and the machine will be re-threaded as before.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a slight modification in which the valve 41 is connected mechanically to the slidable die I5 by means of a link 59, a lever fulcrummed on a pin BI, and a link 62. A spring 64 engages the lever and urges the valve toward closed position. A hand lever 65 is connected to the die I5 by means of a link 66. By actuating the hand lever 65 the operator can open the valve 41 in opposition to the spring 64 during the threading of the machine, this hand lever performing a function which is substantially equivalent to that of the push button 53 of Fig. 1. Obviously, the construction of Fig. 2 may be applied to the die I4 of Fig. l as well as to the die I5. It will be understood that the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 will be the same as that of Fig. 1 except as brought about by the different arrangement for actuating the valve 41. I

In Fig. 3 there is shown a further modification in which the switch 5| of Fig. l is replaced by a switch 68 having a spring 69 to urge it upwardly toward open position. At the upper end of the switch 68 there is provided an idler roller 10 adapted to engage the wire between the die I5 and the drumII. These parts are so arranged that while the wire is taut it will hold the switch closed against the pressure of the spring 59, but when the tail end of the wire has passed the die IS, the spring will open the switch, de-energizing the solenoid 48 and closing the valve 41. This construction may of course be applied to the first valve 35 as Well as to the valve 41. It will be understood that the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 will be the same as that of Fig. 1, except as it is affected by the slightly different switch arrangement for controlling the energization of the solenoid 48.

It will now be apparent that the invention provides a dependable multiple-die machine of a comparatively simple and inexpensive construction adapted to draw wire with a predetermined back tension and without slipping of the wire on the drums.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire-drawing machine comprising a plurality of dies, a plurality of rotatable drums to draw wire through the dies successively, means to drive one of the drums at a'predetermined speed, an adjustable displacement hydraulic motor connected to another of the drums to drive the same, and means to supply fluid to said motor at a predetermined pressure.

2. A wire-drawing machine comprising a plurality of dies, a plurality of rotatable drums to draw wire through the diessuccessively, means to drive one of the drums at a predetermined speed, a plurality of adjustable displacement hydraulic motors each of which is connected to another of the drums to drive the same, and means to supply fluid to all of the motors at a predetermined pressure.

3. A wire-drawing machine comprising a plurality of dies, a plurality of rotatable drums to draw wire through the dies successively, means to drive one of the drums at a predetermined speed, a plurality of adjustable displacement hydraulic motors each of which is connected to another of the drums to drive the same, and a variable displacement pump arranged to supply which is connected to another of the drums to drive the same, a pump arranged to supply fluid to all of the said motors for the operation thereof, and means operable upon failure of tension in the wire anterior to any of the hydraulically driven drums to prevent the flow of fluid through the corresponding motor.

5. A wire-drawing machine comprising a plu- 'rality of dies, a plurality of rotatable drums to drawwire through the dies successively, means to drive one of the drums at a predetermined speed, a plurality of adjustable displacement hydraulic motors each of which is connected to another of the drums to drive the same, a pump arranged to supply fluid to all of the motors at a predetermined pressure, and means operable upon failure of tension in the wire anterior tofany of the hydraulically driven drums to prevent operation of the corresponding motor. 6. A wire-drawing machine comprising a plurality of dies, a plurality of rotatable drums to v draw wire through the dies successively, means to drive one of the drums' at a predetermined speed, a plurality of adjustable displacement hydraulic motors each of which is connected to another of the drums to drive the same, a pump arranged to supply fluid to all of the motors WELD MORGAN. 

